Cooper River diver missing - South Carolina

[DandyDon]

Cypress Gardens is 20-30 miles upstream from Charleston on the coast.

Berkeley County Fire and rescue searching for missing diver

Crews from Berkeley County Fire and Rescue and SC Department of Natural Resources are searching for a missing diver in the Cooper River.


Berkeley County officials have set up a command post at the Cypress Gardens Boat Landing. County Corner Bill Salisbury, who is also a member of fire and rescue, says they are searching several miles south, toward Charleston, from the boat landing.


Salisbury said they got the call around noon on Saturday. The Cooper River is common spot for SCUBA divers.

This is a developing story and more information will be posted as it becomes available.

 

[DandyDon]

Berkeley County crews recover body of missing diver from North Carolina

 

[Lorenzoid]

Berkeley County crews recover body of missing diver from North Carolina

Not another one of our own!

Clark Fletcher

 

[Dan]

I'm afraid that's him. This is sad news. Condolences to his family & friends. How many Scuba diver named Clark Fletcher, 59 years old, from Hickory, NC are there?

I had some discussion with him not along ago about the weather in Wilmington since I'd be diving there: Wilmington Dive and Weather Conditions

Back on the topic of discussion, when the weather is not the way we are comfortable (a quoted from the article: "It was not the ideal conditions to dive," Lewis said. "... the visibility was almost zero and the current was very, very swift and dangerous."), I think we should brave enough to say forget it, let's do it some other time when the weather is better.

 

[GreggS]

This is terrible news. My wife and I just dove with Clark about 3 weeks ago. He told us then about going to the Cooper to do a dive. As soon as I saw the name in the article, I said "oh, God, no."

Although I didn't know Clark extensively, I feel a great sense of loss. My sincerest condolences to his family. I know they are devastated. Not only does this happen just before the Holiday season, they were in the middle of planning a family cruise to be done early next year.

 

[Steve_C]

Dark and some current is standard Cooper river diving. I have not dove there but know several who have. Basically you put on some lead and drop to the bottom. You crawl along the bottom looking for artifacts and teeth. May have to use a knife or such stuck in the bottom to hold your position against the current. Viz often a few inches. There is also tidal flow. High exertion dive. Buddy system nonoperative.

 

[GreggS]

I'm afraid that's him. This is sad news. Condolences to his family & friends. How many Scuba diver named Clark Fletcher, 59 years old, from Hickory, NC are there?

I had some discussion with him not along ago about the weather in Wilmington since I'd be diving there: Wilmington Dive and Weather Conditions

Back on the topic of discussion, when the weather is not the way we are comfortable (a quoted from the article: "It was not the ideal conditions to dive," Lewis said. "... the visibility was almost zero and the current was very, very swift and dangerous."), I think we should brave enough to say forget it, let's do it some other time when the weather is better.

Indeed it is. I called a buddy that owns one of the LDS's I frequent and he told me that Clark had come in there to get his tanks filled for the trip. He confirmed to me that it was indeed the Clark Fletcher that I know.

The same LDS owner had just taken an organized trip to the Cooper a month ago. He had asked me if I wanted to go, but it just doesn't sound to me like the kind of diving I want to do. I never even considered it.

 

[Dan]

Dark and some current is standard Cooper river diving. I have not dove there but know several who have. Basically you put on some lead and drop to the bottom. You crawl along the bottom looking for artifacts and teeth. May have to use a knife or such stuck in the bottom to hold your position against the current. Viz often a few inches. There is also tidal flow. High exertion dive. Buddy system nonoperative.

Not for me. Thanks!

 

[dberry]

I didn't know him, but recall his posts. It's terribly sad, and my condolescences go out to his family.

I was about to ask how deep the diving is on the river, but found the answer on the interweb (35 ft.) Check out some of the videos; Blackwater diving, indeed.

Cooper River Dive Charters - CooperRiverDiving.com

 

[Saniflush]

Sorry to hear. Condolences to his friends and family.